#THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS ACT, 1993 
__________ 

##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
________ 

###CHAPTER I 

###PRELIMINARY 

SECTIONS 

1.  Short title, extent and commencement. 
2.  Definitions. 

###CHAPTER II 

###REGULATION OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION 

3. No person to carry on business without registration. 
4. Registration for multimodal transportation. 
5. Cancellation of registration. 
6. Appeal. 

###CHAPTER III 

###MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT DOCUMENT 

7. Issue of multimodal transport document. 
8. Multimodal transport document to be regarded as document of title. 
9. Contents of multimodal transport document. 
10. Reservation in the multimodal transport document. 
11. Evidentiary effect of the multimodal transport document. 
12. Responsibility of the consignor. 

###CHAPTER IV 

###RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES OF THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT OPERATOR 

13. Basis of liability of multimodal transport operator. 
14. Limits of liability when the nature and value of the consignment have not been declared and stage 
of transport where loss or damage occurred is not known. 
15. Limits of liability when the nature and value of the consignment have not been declared and stage 
of transport where loss or damage occurred is known. 
16.  Liability of the multimodal transport operator in case of delay in delivery of goods under certain 
circumstances. 
17. Assessment of compensation. 
18. Loss of right of multimodal transport operator to limit liability. 
19. Limit of liability of multimodal transport operator for total loss of goods. 
20. Notice of loss of or damage to goods. 
20A. Period of responsibility. 

###CHAPTER V 

###MISCELLANEOUS 

21. Special provision for dangerous goods. 
22. Right of multimodal transport operator to have lien on goods and documents. 
23. General average. 
24. Limitation on action. 
25. Jurisdiction for instituting action. 
26. Arbitration. 
27. Delegation of power. 
28. Multimodal transport contract to be made in accordance with this Act. 
29. Act of override other enactments. 
30. Power to make rules. 
31. [Repealed.] 
32. Repeal and savings. 

THE SCHEDULE [Repealed]. 

 

#THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION OF GOODSACT, 1993 

##ACT NO. 28 OF 1993 

[2nd April, 1993.] 

An Act to provide for the regulation of the multimodal transportation of goods, from any place in India to 
a  place  outside  India,  on  the  basis  of  a  multimodal  transport  contract  and  for  matters  connected 
therewith or incidental thereto. 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

###CHAPTER I 

###PRELIMINARY 

1. **Short title, extent and commencement.**—(1)  This Act may be called the Multimodal 
Transportation of Goods Act, 1993. 

(2) It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir[^1].

(3) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 16th day of October, 1992. 

2. **Definitions.**—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

  (a) “carrier” means a person who performs or undertakes to perform for hire, the carriage or 
part thereof, of goods by road, rail, inland waterways, sea or air;

  (b) “competent  authority”  means  any  person  or  authority  authorised  by  the  Central 
Government,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette,  to  perform  the  functions  of  the  competent 
authority under this Act; 

  (c) “consignee” means the person named as consignee in the multimodal transport contract; 

  (d) “consignment”  means  the  goods  entrusted  to  a  multimodal  transport  operator  for 
multimodal transportation; 

  (e) “consignor” means the person, named in the multimodal transport contract as consignor, by 
whom  or  on  whose  behalf  the  goods  covered  by  such  contract  are  entrusted  to  a  multimodal 
transport operator for multimodal transportation; 

  (f) “delivery” means,— 

       (i) in  the  case  of  a  negotiable  multimodal  transport  document,  delivering  of  the 
consignment  to,  or  placing  the  consignment  at  the  disposal  of,  the  consignee  or  any  other 
person entitled to receive it; 

       (ii) in  the  case  of  a  non-negotiable  multimodal  transport  document,  delivering  of  the 
consignment to, or placing the consignment at the disposal of, the consignee or any person 
authorised by the consignee to accept delivery of the consignment on his behalf; 

  (g) “endorsee” means the person in whose favour an endorsement is made, and in the case of 
successive endorsements, the person in whose favour the last endorsement is made; 

  (h) “endorsement” means the signing by the consignee or the endorsee after adding a direction 
on a negotiable multimodal transport document to pass the property in the goods mentioned in such 
document to a specified person; 

  (i) “goods”  means  any  property  including  live  animals,  containers,  pallets  or  such  other 
articles of transport or packaging supplied by the consignor, irrespective of whether such property 
is to be or is carried on or under the deck;

  (j) “mode of transport” means carriage of goods by road, air, rail inland waterways or sea; 

[^1]. Vide notification No. S.O. 3912(E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union territory of 
Ladakh. 

 

  (k) “multimodal transportation” means carriage of goods, by at least two different modes of 
transport under a multimodal transport contract, from the place of acceptance of the goods in India 
to a place of delivery of the goods outside India; 

  (l) “multimodal  transport  contract”  means  a  contract  under  which  a  multimodal  transport 
operator  undertakes  to  perform  or  procure  the  performance  of  multimodal  transportation  against 
payment of freight; 

  (la) “multimodal  transport  document”  means  a  negotiable  or  non-negotiable  document 
evidencing  a  multimodal  transport  contract  and  which  can  be  replaced  by  electronic  data 
interchange messages permitted by applicable law;

  (m) “multimodal transport operator” means any person who— 

       (i)  concludes  a  multimodal  transport  contract  on  his  own  behalf  or  through  another 
person acting on his behalf; 

       (ii) acts as principal, and not as an agent either of the consignor, or consignee or of the 
carrier participating in the multimodal transportation, and who assumes responsibility for the 
performance of the said contract; and 

       (iii) is registered under sub-section (3) of section 4; 

  (n) “negotiable multimodal transport document” means a multimodal transport document which 
is— 

       (i) made out to order or to bearer; or 

       (ii) made out to order and is transferable by endorsement; or 

       (iii) made out to bearer and is transferable without endorsement; 

  (o)  “non-negotiable  multimodal  transport  document”  means  a  multimodal  transport  document 
which indicates only one named consignee; 

  (p) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

  (q) “registration” means registration of multimodal transport operator under sub-section (3) of 
section 4; 

  (r) “special  drawing  rights”  means  such  units  of  accounts  as  are  determined  by  the 
International Monetary Fund; 

  (s) “taking charge” means that the goods have been handed over to and accepted for carriage by 
the multimodal transport operator.

###CHAPTER II 

###REGULATION OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION 

3. **No person to carry on business without registration.**—No person shall carry on or commence 
the business of multimodal transportation unless he is registered under this Act: 

Provided that a person carrying on the business of multimodal transportation immediately before the 
commencement  of  this  Act,  may  continue  to  do  so  for  a  period  of  three  months  from  such 
commencement; and if he has made an application for registration within the said period, till the disposal 
of such application. 

4. **Registration for multimodal transportation.**—(1) Any person may apply for registration to the 
competent authority to carry on or commence the business of multimodal transportation. 

(2) An application under sub-section (1) shall be made in such form as may be prescribed and shall be 
accompanied by a fee of ten thousand rupees. 

(3)  On  receipt  of  the  application,  the  competent  authority  shall  satisfy  that  the  applicant  fulfils  the 
following conditions, namely:— 

  (a) (i) that  the  applicant  is  a  company,  firm  or  proprietary  concern,  engaged  either  in  the 
business  of  shipping,  or  freight  forwarding  in  India  or  abroad  with  a  minimum  annual  turnover  of 
fifty  lakh  rupees  during  the  immediately  preceding  financial  year  or  an  average  annual  turnover  of 
fifty  lakh  rupees  during  the  preceding  three  financial  years  as  certified  by  a  Chartered  Accountant 
within the meaning of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 (38 of 1949 ); 

     (ii) that if the applicant is a company, firm or proprietary concern other than a company, firm or 
proprietary concern, specified in sub-clause (i), the subscribed share capital of such company or the 
aggregate balance in the capital account of partners of the firm, or the capital of the proprietor is not 
less than fifty lakh rupees;

  (b) that the applicant has offices or agents or representatives in not less than two other countries, 

and on being so satisfied, register the applicant as a multimodal transport operator and grant a certificate 
to it to carry on or commence the business of multimodal transportation: 

Provided  that  the  competent  authority  may,  for  reasons  to  be  recorded  in  writing,  refuse  to  grant 
registration if it is satisfied that the applicant does not fulfil the said conditions: 

Provided  further  that  any  applicant  who  is  not  a  resident  of  India  and  who  is  not  engaged  in  the 
business  of  shipping  shall  not  be  granted  registration  unless  he  has  established  a  place  of  business  in 
India: 

Provided  also  that  in  respect  of  any  applicant  who  is  not  a  resident  of  India,  the  turnover  may  be 
certified by any authority competent to certify the accounts of a company in that country.

(4) A certificate granted under sub-section (3) shall be valid for a period of three years and may be 
renewed from time to time for a further period of three years at a time. 

(5) An  application  for  renewal  shall  be  made  in  such  form  as  may  be  prescribed  and  shall  be 
accompanied by such amount of fees as may be notified by the Central Government: 

Provided that such fees shall not be less than rupees ten thousand and shall not exceed rupees twenty 
thousand. 

(6) The  competent  authority  shall renew the registration certificate granted under sub-section (3) if 
the applicant continues to fulfil the conditions as laid down at the time of registration.

5. **Cancellation of registration.**—The  competent  authority  may,  if  it  is  satisfied  at  any  time  after 
registration that— 

  (a) any  statement  in,  or  in  relation  to,  any  application  under  sub-section  (2)  of  section  4  or  its 
renewal under sub-section (5) of that section, is incorrect or false in any material particular; or 

  (b) any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder has been contravened by the 
multimodal transport operator; or 

  (c) the  multimodal  transport  operator  has  not  entered  into  any  multimodal  transport  contract 
during the preceding two years after his registration, 

cancel by order the certificate of registration: 

Provided  that  no  such  registration  shall  be  cancelled  unless  the  multimodal  transport  operator  has 
been given a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed action. 

6. **Appeal.**—(1) Any  person  aggrieved  by,  refusal  of  the  competent  authority  to  grant  or  renew 
registration under section 4 or by cancellation of registration under section 5, may prefer an appeal to the 
Central Government within such period as may be prescribed.

(2) No appeal shall be admitted if it is preferred after the expiry of the prescribed period: 

Provided  that  an  appeal  may  be  admitted  after  the  expiry  of  the  prescribed  period  if  the  appellant 
satisfies  the  Central  Government  that  he  had  sufficient  cause  for  not  preferring  the  appeal  within  the 
prescribed period. 

(3) Every appeal made under this section shall be made in such form and on payment of such fees as 
may be prescribed and shall be accompanied by a copy of the order appealed against. 

(4) On receipt of any such appeal, the Central Government shall, after giving the parties a reasonable 
opportunity of being heard and after making such inquiry as it deems proper, make such order as it thinks 
fit. 

###CHAPTER III 

###MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT DOCUMENT 

7. **Issue of multimodal transport document.**—(1)  Where  the  consignor  and  the  multimodal 
transport  operator  have  entered  into  a  contract  for  the  multimodal  transportation  and  the  multimodal 
transport  operator  has  taken  charge  of  the  goods,  he  shall,  at  the  option  of  the  consignor,  issue  a 
negotiable or non-negotiable multimodal transport document: 

Provided that the multimodal transport operator shall issue the multimodal transport document only 
after obtaining, and during the subsistence of a valid insurance cover.

(2) The multimodal transport document shall be signed by the multimodal transport operator or by a 
person duly authorised by him. 

8. **Multimodal transport document to be regarded as document of title.**—(1) Every consignee 
named  in  the  negotiable  or  nonnegotiable multimodal transport document and every endorsee of such 
document, as the case may be, to whom the property in the goods mentioned therein shall pass, upon or 
by reason of such consignment or endorsement, shall have all the rights and liabilities of the consignor. 

(2) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall prejudice or affect the right of the multimodal transport 
operator  to  claim  freight  from  the  consignor  or  enforce  any  liability  of  the  consignee  or  endorsee  by 
reason of his being such consignee or endorsee. 

9. **Contents of multimodal transport document.**—The multimodal transport document shall contain 
the following particulars, namely:— 

  (a) the general nature of the goods, the leading marks necessary for identification of the goods, 
the character of the goods (including dangerous goods), the number of packages or units and the gross 
weight and quantity of the goods as declared by the consignor;

  (b) apparent condition of the goods; 

  (c) the name and principal place of business of the multimodal transport operator; 

  (d) the name of the consignor; 

  (e) the name of the consignee, if specified by the consignor; 

  (f) the place and date of taking charge of the goods by the multimodal transport operator; 

  (g) theplace of delivery of the goods; 

  (h)  the  date  or  the  period  of  delivery  of  the  goods  by  the  multimodal  transport  operator  as 
expressly agreed upon between the consignor and the multimodal transport operator;

  (i) whether it is negotiable or non-negotiable; 

  (j) the place and date of its issue; 

  (k) freight payable by the consignor or the consignee, as the case may be, to be mentioned only 
if expressly agreed by both the consignor and the consignee;

  (l) the signature of the multimodal transport operator or of a person duly authorised by him; 

  (m) the intended journey  route,  modes  of  transport  and  places  of transhipment,  if  known  at  the 
time of its issue; 

  (n) terms  of  shipment  and  a  statement  that  the  document  has  been  issued  subject  to  and  in 
accordance with this Act; and 

  (o) any  other  particular  which  the  parties  may  agree  to  insert  in  the  document,  if  any  such 
particular is not inconsistent with any law for the time being in force: 

Provided  that  the  absence  of  any  of  the  particulars  listed  above  shall  not  affect  the  legal 
character of the multimodal transport document.

10. **Reservation  in  the  multimodal  transport  document.**—(1)  Where  the  multimodal  transport 
operator or a person acting on his behalf knows, or has reasonable grounds to suspect, that the particulars 
furnished by the consignor in the multimodal transport document do not accurately represent the goods 
actually taken in charge, or if he has no reasonable means of checking such particulars, the multimodal 
transport  operator  or  a  person  acting  on  his  behalf  shall  insert  in  the  multimodal  transport  document  a 
reservation  specifying  the  inaccuracies,  if  any,  the  grounds  of  suspicion  or  the  absence  of  reasonable 
means of checking the particulars. 

(2) Where  the  multimodal  transport  operator  or  a  person  acting  on  his  behalf  fails  to  insert  the 
reservation in the multimodal transport document relating to the apparent condition of the goods, he shall 
be deemed to have accepted the goods in apparent good condition. 

11. **Evidentiary effect of the multimodal transport document.**—Save as provided in section 10,— 

  (a) the multimodal transport document shall be *prima facie* evidence of the fact that the 
multimodal transport operator has taken charge of the goods as described in the document;and 

  (b) no  proof  to  the  contrary  by  the  multimodal  transport  operator  shall  be  admissible  if  the 
multimodal transport document is issued in negotiable form and has been transmitted to the consignee 
or transferred by the consignee to a third party, if the consignee or the third party has acted in good 
faith relying on the description of the goods in the document. 

12. **Responsibility of the consignor.**—(1) The consignor shall be deemed to have guaranteed to the 
multimodal transport operator the adequacy and accuracy, at the time the multimodal transport operator 
takes charge of the goods, of the particulars referred to in clauses (a) and (b) of section 9 as furnished by 
the consignor for insertion in the multimodal transport document. 

(2) The  consignor  shall  indemnify  the  multimodal  transport  operator  against  loss  resulting  from 
inadequacy or inaccuracy of the particulars referred to in sub-section (1). 

(3) The  right  of  the  multimodal  transport  operator  under  sub-section  (2)  shall  in  no  way  limit  his 
liability under the multimodal transport contract to any person other than the consignor. 

###CHAPTER IV 

###RESPONSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES OF THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT OPERATOR 

13. **Basis of liability of multimodal transport operator.**—(1)  The  multimodal  transport  operator 
shall be liable for loss resulting from— 

  (a) any loss of, or damage to, the consignment; 

  (b) delay in delivery of the consignment and any consequential loss or damage arising from such 
delay, 

where such loss, damage or delay in delivery took place while the consignment was in his charge: 

Provided that the multimodal transport operator shall not be liable if he proves that no fault or neglect 
on his part or that of his servants or agents had caused or contributed to such loss, damage or delay in 
delivery: 

Provided further that the multimodal transport operator shall not be liable for loss or damage arising 
out of delay in delivery including any consequential loss or damage arising from such delay unless the 
consignor  had  made  a  declaration  of  interest  in  timely  delivery  which  has  been  accepted  by  the 
multimodal transport operator.

*Explanation.*—For the purposes of this sub-section, “delay in delivery” shall be deemed to occur 
when the consignment has not been delivered within the time expressly agreed upon or, in the absence of 
such  agreement,  within  a  reasonable  time  required  by  a  diligent  multimodal  transport  operator,  having 
regard to the circumstances of the case, to effect the delivery of the consignment. 

(2) If the consignment has not been delivered within ninety consecutive days following the date of 
delivery expressly agreed upon or the reasonable time referred to in the Explanation to sub-section (1), 
the claimant may treat the consignment as lost. 

14. **Limits of liability when the nature and value of the consignment have not been declared and 
stage of transport where loss or damage occurred is not known.**—(1) Where a multimodal transport 
operator  becomes  liable  for  any  loss  of,  or  damage  to,  any  consignment,  the  nature  and  value  whereof 
have  not  been  declared  by  the  consignor  before  such  consignment  has  been  taken  in  charge  by  the 
multimodal  transport  operator  and  the  stage  of  transport  at  which  such  loss  or  damage  occurred  is  not 
known, then the liability of the multimodal transport operator to pay compensation shall not exceed two 
Special Drawing Rights per kilogram of the gross weight of the consignment lost or damaged or 666.67 
Special Drawing Rights per package or unit lost or damaged, whichever is higher. 

*Explanation.*—For  the  purpose  of  this  sub-section,  where  a  container,  pallet  or  similar  article  is 
stuffed  with  more  than  one  package  or  units,  the  packages  or  units  enumerated  in  the  multimodal 
transport document, as packed in such container, pallet or similar article of transport shall be deemed as 
packages or units.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), if the multimodal transportation does not, 
according to the multimodal transport contract, include carriage of goods by sea or by inland waterways, 
the liability of the multimodal transport operator shall be limited to an amount not exceeding 8.33 Special 
Drawing Rights per kilogram of the gross weight of the goods lost or damaged. 

15. **Limits of liability when the nature and value of the consignment have not been declared and 
stage of transport where loss or damage occurred is known.**—Where a multimodal transport operator 
becomes  liable  for  any  loss  of,  or  damage  to,  any  consignment,  the  nature  and value  whereof  have  not 
been  declared  by  the  consignor  before  such  consignment  has  been  taken  in  charge  by  the  multimodal 
transport operator and the stage of transport at which such loss or damage occurred is known, then the 
limit of the liability of the multimodal transport operator for such loss or damage shall be determined in 
accordance with the provisions of the relevant law applicable in relation to the mode of transport during 
the course of which the loss or damage occurred and any stipulation in the multimodal transport contract 
to the contrary shall be void and unenforceable: 

Provided that the multimodal transport operator shall not be liable for any loss, damage or delay in 
delivery due to a cause for which the carrier is exempted from liability in accordance with the applicable 
law.

16. **Liability of the multimodal transport operator in case of delay in delivery of goods under 
certain circumstances.**—Where  delay  in  delivery  of  the  consignment  occurs  under  any  of  the 
circumstances mentioned in the *Explanation* to sub-section (1) of section 13, or any consequential loss or 
damage arises from such delay, then the liability of the multimodal transport operator shall be limited to 
the freight payable for the consignment so delayed. 

17. **Assessment of compensation.**—(1) Assessment of compensation for loss of, or damage to, the 
consignment shall be made with reference to the value of such consignment at the place where, and the 
time  at  which,  such  consignment  is  delivered  to  the  consignee  or  at  the  place  and  time  when,  in 
accordance with the multimodal transport contract, it should have been delivered. 

(2) The value of the consignment shall be determined according to the current commodity exchange 
price, or, if there is no such price, according to the current market price, or, if the current market price is 
not ascertainable, with reference to the normal value of a consignment of the same kind and quantity. 

18. **Loss of right of multimodal transport operator to limit liability.**—The multimodal transport 
operator  shall  not  be  entitled  to  the  benefit of limitation  of  liability  under any  of  the  provisions  of this 
Chapter if it is proved that the loss, damage or delay in delivery of consignment resulted from an act or 
omission  of  the  multimodal  transport  operator  with  intent  to  cause  such  loss,  damage  or  delay  or 
recklessly and with knowledge that such loss, damage or delay would probably result. 

19. **Limit of liability of multimodal transport operator for total loss of goods.**—The multimodal 
transport operator shall not, in any case, be liable for an amount greater than the liability for total loss of 
goods for which a person will be entitled to make a claim against him under the provisions of this Act. 

20. **Notice of loss of or damage to goods.**—(1) The delivery of the consignment to the consignee by 
the  multimodal  transport  operator  shall  be  treated  as  prima  facie  evidence  of  delivery  of  the  goods  as 
described in the multimodal transport document unless notice of the general nature of loss of, or damage 
to,  the  goods  is  given,  in  writing,  by  the  consignee  to  the  multimodal  transport  operator  at  the  time  of 
handing over of the goods to the consignee. 

(2) Where the loss or damage is not apparent, the provisions of sub-section  (1)  shall  apply  unless 
notice in writing is given by the consignee of the loss of, or damage to, the goods within six consecutive 
days after the day when the goods were handed over to the consignee. 

20A. **Period of responsibility.**—The  responsibility  of  the  multimodal  transport  operator  for  the 
goods under this Act shall cover the period from the time he has taken the goods in his charge to the time 
of their delivery.

###CHAPTER V 

###MISCELLANEOUS 

21. **Special provision for dangerous goods.**—(1)  Where  the  consignor  hands  over  the  prescribed 
dangerous goods to a multimodal transport operator or any person acting on behalf of such operator, the 
consignor shall inform him of the nature of the dangerous goods and, if necessary, the precautions to be 
taken while transporting such goods. 

(2) Where the consignor fails to inform the multimodal transport operator or the other person acting 
on  behalf  of  such  operator  of  the  nature  of  the  dangerous  goods  and  such  operator  or  person  does  not 
otherwise have knowledge of the dangerous goods— 

  (a) the consignor shall be liable to the multimodal transport operator or the other person acting on 
behalf of such operator for all loss resulting from the multimodal transportation of such goods; and 

  (b) the  goods  may  at  any  time  be  unloaded,  destroyed  or  rendered  innocuous,  as  the 
circumstances may require, without payment of compensation. 

22. **Right of multimodal transport operator to have lien on goods and documents.**—(1)  The 
multimodal  transport  operator  who  has  not  been  paid  the  amount  of  consideration  stipulated  in  the 
multimodal  transport  contract  shall  have  a  lien  on  the  consignment  and  on  the  documents  in  his 
possession. 

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sections 13, 16 and 18, the period during which the goods 
are in possession of the multimodal transport operator in exercise of his right of lien referred to in sub-
section  (1)  shall  not  be  included  for  the  purposes  of  calculating  the  time  of  delay  under  any  of  those 
sections. 

23. **General average.**—Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  any  other  provision  of  this  Act,  it 
shall be lawful for the parties to the multimodal transport contract to include in the multimodal transport 
document any provision relating to general average. 

*Explanation.*—For  the  purposes  of  this  section,  “general  average”  means  loss,  damage  or  expense 
reasonably  incurred  in  order  to  avert  danger  to  property  in  common  peril  and  in  the  common  interest 
involved in the multimodal transportation. 

24. **Limitation on action.**—The  multimodal  transport  operator  shall  not  be  liable  under  any  of  the 
provisions of this Act unless action against him is brought within nine months of— 

  (a) the date of delivery of the goods, or 

  (b) the date when the goods should have been delivered, or 

  (c) the date on and from which the party entitled to receive delivery of the goods has the right to 
treat the goods as lost under sub-section (2) of section 13. 

25. **Jurisdiction for instituting action.**—Any party to the multimodal transport contract may institute 
an  action  in  a  court  which  is  competent  and  within  the  jurisdiction  of  which  is  situated  one  of  the 
following places, namely:— 

  (a) the  principal  place  of  business,  or,  in  the  absence  thereof,  the  habitual  residence,  of  the 
defendant; or 

  (b) the place where the multimodal transport contract was made, provided that the defendant has a 
place of business, branch or agency at such place; or 

  (c) the place of taking charge of the goods for multimodal transportation or the place of delivery 
thereof; or 

  (d) any  other  place  specified  in  the  multimodal  transport  contract  and  evidenced  in  the 
multimodal transport document. 

26. **Arbitration.**—(1)  The  parties  to  a  multimodal  transport  contract  may  provide  therein  that  any 
dispute which may arise in relation to multimodal transportation under the provisions of this Act shall be 
referred to arbitration. 

(2) The arbitration proceeding may be instituted at such place or in accordance with such procedure 
as may be specified in the multimodal transport document. 

27. **Delegation of power.**—The  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazette, 
direct that any power exercisable by it under this Act, except the power under section 30, shall, in such 
circumstances and subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified therein, be exercisable also by 
such officer or authority as may be specified in the notification. 

28. **Multimodal  transport  contract  to  be  made  in  accordance  with  this  Act.**—No  person 
registered as a multimodal transport operator shall enter into any contract for multimodal transportation 
except in accordance with the provisions of this Act and any contract, to the extent it is inconsistent with 
the said provisions, shall be void and unenforceable. 

29. **Act to override other enactments.**—The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding 
anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force or in any instrument 
having effect by virtue of any law other than this Act. 

30. **Power to make rules.**—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 
make rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act. 

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, such rules may 
provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

  (a) the forms in which applications shall be made under section 4; 

  (b) the period within which appeal shall be preferred under sub-section (1) of section 6; 

  (c) the form in which an appeal shall be preferred under section 6 and the amount of fee payable 
in respect of such appeal; 

  (d) dangerous goods for the purpose of section 21; 

  (e) any other matter which is to be, or may be, prescribed. 

(3) Every rule made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House 
of  Parliament,  while  it  is  in  session,  for  a  total  period  of  thirty  days  which  may  be  comprised  in  one 
session  or  in  two  or  more  successive  sessions,  and  if,  before  the  expiry  of  the  session  immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification 
in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only 
in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or 
annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule. 

31. **[Amendment  of  certain  enactments]**.—*Rep.  by  the  Repealing  and  Amending  Act,  2001 
(30 of 2001), s. 2 and the First Schedule (w.e.f.* 3-9-2001).

32. **Repeal and savings.**—(1)  The  Multimodal  Transportation  of  Goods  Ordinance, 
1993 (Ord. 6 of1993) is hereby repealed. 

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the said Ordinance, shall be 
deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act. 

[THE SCHEDULE] *Rep. by the Repealing and Amending Act, 2001 (30 of 2001), s. 2 and the First 
Schedule (w.e.f.* 3-9-2001).